Dietary supplements are either food or food constituents that purportedly provide medical or health benefits such as prevention of disease (Stephen, D. F. L., Trends in Food Sci. Tech, 1995, 6:59-61). The term typically includes the following representative classes: probiotics, prebiotics, dietary fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants (Pandey, M. et al., Asian J. Pharm. Clin. Res., 2010, 3:11-15). Due to increasing numbers of health conscious consumers in Asia, the United States, and Europe, the dietary supplement market, specifically in the area of oligosaccharides and prebiotics, has demonstrated significant growth over the last three decades (Goffin, D. et al., Crit. Rev. Food. Sci. Nutr., 2011, 51:394-409; Roberfroid, M. B., Br. J. Nutr., 2002, 88 Suppl 2:S133-8). New, improved products as well as new, economical methods for their production are in demand.
Prebiotics are materials, or mixtures thereof, that contain either physical (e.g. dietary fiber) or chemical (e.g. butyrate) entities that can survive transit through the upper gastrointestinal tract, and can arrive intact in the colon to promote the growth of selected beneficial (probiotic) flora (Chung, C. H., et al., Poult. Sci., 2004, 83:1302-6). In some cases, prebiotics can exert some beneficial effect directly on intestinal epithelial cells such as improving uptake of nutritive calories, vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial materials. Because many prebiotics can overcome the resistance of the digestive barrier to facilitate the proliferation and/or activity of desired populations of bacteria in situ (Gibson G. R. et al., J. Nutr., 1995, 125:1401-12; Van Loo, J. et al., Br. J. Nutr., 1999, 81:121-32), research and development in this area has boomed. Additionally, some prebiotics are naturally present in the food supply, especially in fermented foods, and are generally compatible with most food formulations (Macfarlane, S. et al., Aliment Pharmacol. Ther, 2006, 24:701-14; Manning, T. S. et al., Best Pract. Res. Clin. Gastroenterol, 2004, 18:287-98).
Some resistant glucooligosaccharide prebiotic agents may be commercially available, but some types of glucooligosaccharides are better prebiotic agents than others.
Day & Chung have produced glucooligosaccharides, including maltosyl-isomaltooligosaccharides (MIMOs) via fermentation (U.S. Pat. No. 7,291,607). However, Day & Chung do not disclose the compositions or the methods of production described in this application.